The New York Times offers a riveting story Friday about the "cozy relationship," as President Obama has claimed, between Big Oil and the government. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration insists that all water, sediment and marine animal tissue samples be sent for analysis to TDI-Brooks International testing laboratories in College Station, Tex.., … [Read more...] about Feds Direct Oil Spill Evidence To Lab Whose Biggest Client Is Big Oil
Rand Paul: The transcript (not the video)
Embedded video is a great thing, but who wants to spend the time watch talking heads talk when you can just read the transcript. So for all of you following the Rand Paul tempest, here's a link to the transcript of his interview with Rachel Maddow, courtesy of Dave Weigel. It's absolutely worth reading the whole transcript, which can be seen from two very different but … [Read more...] about Rand Paul: The transcript (not the video)
Main Street Wins, Wall Street Loses As Financial Reform Bills Go To Conference — Fact Or Fiction?
While Main Street voters high-five themselves and raise a toast to Congress for bashing Wall Street, perhaps some sober reflection is in order. The financial reform bill passed by the Senate Thursday goes to a joint conference committee to iron out differences with the House bill passed in December. The earliest it could reach President Obama's desk for signing is the July 4 … [Read more...] about Main Street Wins, Wall Street Loses As Financial Reform Bills Go To Conference — Fact Or Fiction?
Secret Weapon (Guest Voice)
Secret Weapon by Will Durst The best news the Democrats have gotten all year long has little to do with early primary results, or regenerating their spine with health care reform. The best news the Democrats have gotten all year is the chair of the Republican National Committee is going to keep his job. He’s been a disaster on the order of Michael Cimino directing … [Read more...] about Secret Weapon (Guest Voice)
The Maddow Interview: Paul vs. Sestak
On the pages of The Moderate Voice where I toil as a columnist much tsk tsk tsking and hand wringing of crying towels is being made of Republican nominee Rand Paul for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. It seems the libertarian, when asked his views on private property rights for citizens in the Civil Rights Act, Paul doesn't like that one section. In the broadest example of that … [Read more...] about The Maddow Interview: Paul vs. Sestak
Rand Paul
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Rand Paul
Google TV: The Web & TV Together
The CEOs of Sony, Best Buy, Echostar, Adobe, and Logitech were on a panel moderated by Google CEO Eric Schmidt this afternoon to, as expected, introduce Google TV. Each discussed their plans for the product which, naturally, features a search bar on the home screen to find programs. That search will find both web and traditional television offerings (through your antenna, cable … [Read more...] about Google TV: The Web & TV Together
The Betrayal of Jewish Values
Peter Beinart's long and thoughtful article in the New York Review of Books has received quite a bit of notice in the blogosphere -- and I will point to a few of what I consider the most interesting commentaries shortly. But first, I want to flag one paragraph near the beginning of Beinart's piece (and especially one sentence in that paragraph, which I have bolded) that struck … [Read more...] about The Betrayal of Jewish Values
Shoes on the Danube
We are approaching Memorial Day and I probably will not post until then. On Memorial Day we will be remembering all military men and women who have given their lives for our country. An e-mail and a link to a PowerPoint presentation I received from a relative, however, poignantly took my thoughts to others---civilians---who have died as a result of a cruel war that also … [Read more...] about Shoes on the Danube
What If Elena Kagan Turns Lesbian At 60?
Until today, I haven't been much interested in the topic of Elena Kagan's sexual orientation. I see sexual identity as self-assigned and distinct from any behavioral practice. So, if a guy, a social conservative clinical psychologist minister, say, rents a boy to carry his luggage and happens to get some massages along the way, he's not gay! Not even if the nature of those … [Read more...] about What If Elena Kagan Turns Lesbian At 60?
Banana Oil Spill
A full month after befouling coastal waters with an explosion of black sludge that is still gushing from the deep, oil company explainers are out to persuade the public it isn't too bad after all (A BP honcho was soothingly omnipresent last night from the PBS News Hour to Anderson Cooper on CNN). Insult to injury comes to mind as industry flacks try to minimize environmental … [Read more...] about Banana Oil Spill
‘Western Warlords’ Frustrated By Lula’s Diplomatic Triumph: Guia Global, Brazil
According to columnist Breno Altman of Brazil's Guia Global, what frustrates Western countries most is not necessarily the nuclear deal with Iran brokered By Brazil and Turkey, but the emergence of new diplomatic world powers not under "imperial" control. Altman writes that the U.S. and its 'subservient European associates" can't tolerate "the formation of alliances outside of … [Read more...] about ‘Western Warlords’ Frustrated By Lula’s Diplomatic Triumph: Guia Global, Brazil
Rand Paul Regrets Going on Rachel Maddow Show
But he doesn't regret what he said -- or, more precisely, refused to say -- on TRMS last night: … [Read more...] about Rand Paul Regrets Going on Rachel Maddow Show
Resurgent Racism
Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona signs a new law requiring law enforcement to check proof of legality for anyone they reasonably suspect of being illegally in the country. Kentucky candidate for the U. S. Senate, Rand Paul, says in three interviews [here’s a video of one with the Louisville Courier] that he does not support those portions of the Civil Rights Act that require … [Read more...] about Resurgent Racism
Rand Paul: Let The Games Begin
Ron Paul was many Democrats' favorite Republican when he ran for President in 2008. Paul's steadfast opposition to the Iraq War along with his proneness to bizarre conspiracy theories, and the energy of his supporters in spamming the living bejesus out of any online forum that even mentioned his name was golden political theater and an enjoyable disruption to Republicans' … [Read more...] about Rand Paul: Let The Games Begin
Rand Paul: Libertarian Sophist or Lester Maddox?
Kentucky GOP Senatorial candidate and Tea Party extraordinaire Rand Paul is in a wee bit of trouble. He argued, essentially, that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 should not have prevented private businesses from discriminating on the basis of race. His defenders and quasi-defenders (those who see him as theoretically right but politically stupid) insist that he is playing … [Read more...] about Rand Paul: Libertarian Sophist or Lester Maddox?
Re-Arranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic
Tuesday’s handful of primary and special elections and their results have left me completely underwhelmed. The remainder of these ritualistic elections will continue through the summer across the country. They will prove to be completely useless and meaningless, except for political junkies and our 24/7 info-entertainment media. Incumbents and Centrists were defeated by … [Read more...] about Re-Arranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic
Does BP Own The Obama Administration?
A few days ago I suggested that the Gulf Oil spill could soon become Obama's Katrina if it hadn't already. [...] BP has done nothing up to this point that would threaten their investment and they won't. Their concern is for their bottom line and not the environment of the Gulf or the way of life of the people who depend on it. If the Top Kill operation does not work the … [Read more...] about Does BP Own The Obama Administration?
Warmest April, Jan-April On Record
Continuing in my series on the progress of my bet (with no one in particular) that this would be the warmest year on record, I am "pleased" to announce that April followed March for setting a monthly record in NASA's dataset. I have referred to the bet as "taking candy from a baby" once it became obvious there was going to be a moderate El Nino, but the Icelandic volcano will … [Read more...] about Warmest April, Jan-April On Record
Thinking of Our Gulf Coast Fishermen
Back at Open Salon they are having a contest for shrimp recipes in support of our fishermen along the Gulf Coast who are about to be hit by a horrible catastrophe. I submitted a family recipe. For a change of pace, instead of politics, I thought I'd share that family recipe with TMV readers. But first some background. Several of my relatives in my native country of … [Read more...] about Thinking of Our Gulf Coast Fishermen